Who's running Potenza RE970AS?

[Volvohead]

Time to replace the 7+ yo Michelin PS A/S tires on the R (Volvo S60R). Great tires that are finished only due to age (they have really hardened up). Times have changed since then - totally different tires on the market now.

Running 18" 40 series, Khumo, GR, GY and Conti are not in the running. Sidewall integrity is #1 with me. Pirellis are not my cup of tea. So it's down to two AS choices: the PS A/S Plus (which itself is getting long in the tooth) . . . or the relatively new RE970AS.

Those who know, know this car is sensitive to tramlining with the wrong tire.

While the Michelins are the safe choice, and I've had bad Bridgestones in the past, I like the 970s XL load rating, stiff sidewall reviews, and the much newer design. Supposedly a big step up from the 960s. Don't need the Y speed rating. Maybe this 970 is finally better than the old trusty Michelin.

Noise, quiet and everyday ride comfort are also very relevant. Made in USA is also a big factor. Price and rebates are not a factor. The best tire is.

I take TR and CR tests and surveys with some salt. Honest comments from fellow drivers mean far more.

So, who's running the 970s and what's the verdict?

 

[Indydriver]

Have you explored the Bridgestone Tire Advisor? Pretty good web tool for shopping within the Bridgestone family. It put the 970s fourth according to my performance priorities for MS3. YMMV.

 

[Food Scientist]

Here is an old thread on the same tire, but more about price and some about quality.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2440751&page=1

 

[DirtyApe]

Had them on my '11 G37xS since I dumped the [censored] dunlops @ 8k. Now almost 16k. Put them on, next day a 3k trip to Niagara Falls, Pennsylvania, Toronto Ontario and Maryland.

Great in the wet, quiet in the dry (not silent mind you, but..), they look great. Just rotated last night, front to back as they are directional.

I also have a front strut tower brace, upgraded front and rear sway bars, so yeah, it's fun to drive.

 

[rainman49]

Don't know about the RE970AS tires, but had the RE960AS's on my wife's BMW, and I wasn't impressed. Of course, with the negative camber, the BMW is hard on tires. Yet, with the price of the Bridgestones, they should have lasted longer than 20K miles. Replaced with General G-MAX AS-03, which seems to be handling the camber much better because of the tread pattern. About $75 cheaper per tire, too.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: rainman49
but had the RE960AS's on my wife's BMW, and I wasn't impressed. Of course, with the negative camber, the BMW is hard on tires. Yet, with the price of the Bridgestones, they should have lasted longer than 20K miles.

I'm not sure it's the camber. I have mine set up so that the camber is minimal and the tires wear rather evenly, yet at a little over 20K miles, my RE960s don't have much life left in them either. They'll make it through this year, but I'll probably have to get a new set next year. So I am too a bit surprised at the short life. I'm used to getting 20K miles out of UHP summer tires with low treadwear index, but not from UHP all-seasons with a much higher treadwear index. If I knew they didn't last any longer than summers, I'd just get summers and enjoy crisper steering response and better dry grip.

 

[HTSS_TR]

RE960s has treadlife warranty of 40k miles ?

 

[Volvohead]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
RE960s has treadlife warranty of 40k miles ?


These are UHP tires. Nobody gets 40k quality miles out of any decent rubber in this class. Summer only performance tires are even worse.

If I get 25k out of them, I'd be surprised. The tires on this particular car wear out from age, not mileage. The Michelins being retired don't even have 20k on them.

The 960 is an old, discontinued design. The 970 is a very different tire. A completely new compound is used.

Anyone else running 970s?

 

[rjundi]

My experience was very positive with RE960's on a 04 WRX. They were well worn at 49k and still quiet, handled well and had good wet traction. This is unlike my current Conti DWS which grew noisy, poor wet traction and mediorce at 30k on my wife's Legacy.

I think BMW's while incredible handlers(new) take a lot of money to keep the suspension top tier and the BMW handling alive. I think a by product is eating tires in my friends experience.

The RE960's did have below average winter traction at best.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: rjundi
The RE960's did have below average winter traction at best.


One of the reasons I went with the BFG super Sport all seasons over these (price and better summer/dry grip, and response are the others).

If a tire is going to have a very 'tready/sipey' pattern, and LOOK like it should at least be decent in the snow (but is not), and NOT be as grippy in the dry, then who needs it??!!

NEITHER of them are 'winter heros' (FAR from it, I know!), but I would rather have the stickier of the two for 3 seasons, and then have a dedicated winter wheel/tire setup.

 

[krzyss]

Why buy all seasons if you have winter set up?

Krzys

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: krzyss
Why buy all seasons if you have winter set up?

Krzys

The only reason would be to get longer treadlife, IMO. Otherwise, I agree, no point.

 

[Volvohead]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: krzyss
Why buy all seasons if you have winter set up?

Krzys

The only reason would be to get longer treadlife, IMO. Otherwise, I agree, no point.


Well, since the OP's question remains mainly unanswered, I guess I'll chime in on the sidetrack . . .

I ran a summer/winter setup. There is a very valid reason for running A/S over a dedicated winter tire - the dry performance of the latter stinks compared to a UHP A/S even at winter temps. On a higher-performing vehicle, it makes a big difference.

Unless you live in the heavy snow belt, where the roads are a mess most of the winter, you put up with sub-standard dry handling and performance most of the time, on top of grossly accelerated tread wear.

There are a lot of places where it falls below 40F, but the roads are clear and dry the vast majority of the winter. You can't safely run a summer compound tire at those temps. But a UHP A/S is the next best thing - and the best below 40F when dry. I much prefer the superior handling characteristics of an UHP A/S package vs. a winter tread optimized for snow/ice in those regions.

NOW . . . if someone could relate any experience with the RE970s (not the 960), I'd be most appreciative.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Volvohead

NOW . . . if someone could relate any experience with the RE970s (not the 960), I'd be most appreciative.


Let's face it, it's a very new tire. I think your best bet is to read its reviews from users on TireRack, and filter it by type of vehicle and type of driving to weed out some less applicable ones.

I am certainly interested to hear your feedback on it if you do decide to buy it. I will need new tires next Spring, and will be deciding between this 970 and Michelin Pilot A/S.

 

[krzyss]

Not all winter tires are that bad in dry or wet.
Winter performance like Continental TS810, TS830, Dunlop 3D are quite decent.
They trade better dry/wet for worse ice/snow compared to studless snow tires.

Krzys

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: krzyss
Why buy all seasons if you have winter set up?

Krzys


What Volvohead said, AND all of the reviews/raves about this tire being as good in the dry as most dedicated UHP (even some of the MAX PERFORMANCE) SUMMER tires, while being MUCH better in the wet.

Contrary to what most think about UHP all seasons being NO good/hard as rocks in sub 20*-25*F (dry) conditions, BFG/Michelin tech assured me that they were tested, and performed VERY well in the dry down to -25*F without freezing!!!

I also plan on getting a set of dedicated autocross/track day wheels and tires which most definitely will NOT be OK either in; summer deluges (even at full mold depth!), OR in sub 45*-50*F dry conditions, with their 100 treadwear (or LESS) ratings.

Hence the need for decent street, daily driven, all-around conditions capable tires/wheels.

 

[krzyss]

It is hard to imagine tires that are "MUCH better in the wet" than Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 (old summer performance tire) or new Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2, Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position
or Michelin Pilot Super Sport.
Not all summer tires are dry only.

Krzys

 

[Volvohead]

Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: krzyss
Why buy all seasons if you have winter set up?

Krzys


Contrary to what most think about UHP all seasons being NO good/hard as rocks in sub 20*-25*F (dry) conditions, BFG/Michelin tech assured me that they were tested, and performed VERY well in the dry down to -25*F without freezing!!!

My understanding is that the compounds used in A/S and winter tires are not that dissimilar. The key difference is in the tread pattern optimization. Winter tires are optimized for snow/ice traction, at the expense of other performance attributes.

Summer tires are an altogether different story, and use compounds that turn near plastic in hardness once below 40F. They also employ tread patterns that do not contemplate snow traction at all. Below 45F, they start to get dangerous even on dry pavement.

If you're going to see lots of snow and ice, a winter tread is best.

But if it's just low temps (and the occasional dusting), a high quality A/S tread is the better choice.

All tires are a compromise. The trick is matching the compromise to the conditions.

 

[Volvohead]

Originally Posted By: krzyss
It is hard to imagine tires that are "MUCH better in the wet" than Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 (old summer performance tire) or new Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2, Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position
or Michelin Pilot Super Sport.
Not all summer tires are dry only.

Krzys



You're confusing wet performance with temperature range. All summer-only street tires have good to excellent wet performance characteristics.

But no one who knows what they're doing EVER runs a Pilot SS below 40F, regardless of road conditions. It's like driving on epoxy donuts. It's a good way to wrap a vehicle around a tree.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: Volvohead
Originally Posted By: krzyss
It is hard to imagine tires that are "MUCH better in the wet" than Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 (old summer performance tire) or new Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2, Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position
or Michelin Pilot Super Sport.
Not all summer tires are dry only.

Krzys


You're confusing wet performance with temperature range. All summer-only street tires have good to excellent wet performance characteristics.

But no one who knows what they're doing EVER runs a Pilot SS below 40F, regardless of road conditions. It's like driving on epoxy donuts. It's a good way to wrap a vehicle around a tree.


Beat me to the response.

That is what I was implying with the BFG SS a/s, that it could handle well in the warm dry and wet (I did NOT state as well as ALL summer only donuts, just most UHPs some Maxes

), but STILL be safe at VERY low ambients in the dry.

BTW; not ALL summer only "street tires" <-(to me this is anything over a 100 treadwear rating) have good to excellent wet performance.